Digital matte painter

Digital matte artist

A digital matte artist is an artist who uses computer assistance to create a "matte" used to mask painting or partial image abstraction composed into the final image. Mostly, it is a member of a film crew working in post-production. They are also called or credited as "digital matte painters", "digital matte designers" or simply "matte painters". The main difference between terms "digital matte artist" or "digital matte painter" and "matte painter" is that "matte painter" supposed to be a matte artist who uses traditional (old school) matte painting techniques - mainly by painting on glass, but this is not strict as almost all today's matte artists use computers and software in their job and get credited simply as "matte painters". Often digital matte artists do concept work as well.